Mimuro Sugi

Established in 1660 in Miwa, Nara, Imanishi Shuzo has been making their Mimuro Sugi brand of sakes for more than 350 years. They pay tribute to the Omiwa Shrine, Japan’s oldest shrine, believed to be the home of the “god of sake”. The brewery’s slogan is “to drink Miwa”; Mimuro Sugi uses water from the wells in their brewery which draws ground water from the sacred Mount Miwa. Rice grown in this region uses the same water, symbolising a commitment to authenticity and purity.

While the Miwa region of Nara is suggested by some to be the birthplace of sake brewing in Japan, Imanishi Sake Brewery is the last remaining brewery in the area. The building that houses this brewery was constructed 120 years ago and retains a rustic quality and old-world charm. The brewery insists on small, handmade batches of high-quality sake that is undeniably “old, yet new”.